The Long Ride Home
by OnAWhim28
Summary: What transpired between Ella and Lucifer on the way back from Sin City?
1. Chapter 1

A/N My first attempt at a little longer Lucifer fic. Let me know what you think. This is my take on what happened between Ella and Lucifer leaving sin city in 3x06 and getting back to LA.

Disclaimer: As always, I don't own any of this, wish I did, but I don't.

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"Why Ms. Lopez, you are full of surprises." Lucifer managed a smirk as he and Ella were unceremoniously escorted out of the Casino. Apparently he hadn't given the forensic scientist enough credit, she was more interesting than he realized. "I didn't take you as a card shark, bravo."

"It was a good distraction while it lasted." Ella was suddenly very interested in smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress when she noticed she had the full attention of Lucifer Morningstar.

"From poverty," he asked quietly. He knew some of Ms. Lopez's sketchy history. "No, the voices" she said a little too quickly, and she turned from him the moment the words left her lips.

"Well let's go, case to solve and all." And with that the bubbly Ella was back, and she marched forward before Lucifer could question her more.

xxxx-xxxx

As much as Ella probably hoped, Lucifer had not forgotten the conversation they had outside of the Casino. Her ridiculously sunny demeanor in the face of gruesome crime scenes provided for some amusement, but other than that he rarely paid the woman much mind. Now she was something of a puzzle, and Lucifer had a long car ride back to LA to figure it out.

"I've got it, you're a psychic aren't you."

"What," Ella asked perplexed. Lucifer hadn't spoken anything since they had left Sin City.

"The voices, you're a psychic."

Ella continued to look forward. She hadn't meant to let that little secret slip. But it was so easy talking to Lucifer sometimes.

"Well if that's not it, I have a couple hundred miles to figure it out. Come on, you can tell Old Scratch."

When that didn't get a rise out of Ella, Lucifer continued.

"Telepath, Schizophrenic, I can keep going…."

"Ughh….okay okay, I give up, you got me, I see dead people…." Ella threw up her hands with a smirk on her face.

The corvette came grinding to a halt on the side of the road and Lucifer turned in his seat to face the diminutive scientist. "Oh come now Ms. Lopez I won't be dissuaded so easily."

Lucifer barely heard her mumbled reply: "after all these years I should know."

"What was that Ms. Lopez?"

"Nothing." Ella turned in her seat to look away from his intense gaze.

"I don't want to talk about it alright? Let's get back to LA before the night is over. You want to see Detective Decker right?"

"Don't try to distract me with the detective, what's going on with you?" Lucifer grabbed hold of her arm and turned her toward him. Ella shifted her head away from him despite being turned rather easily in her seat.

"Why are you being such a child all of a sudden?"

"Can't you just let this one go Lucifer?" Tears threatened to spill down Ella's face and for a moment the devil softened. He never could turn away from a damsel in distress.

"You poor girl, this is really bothering you isn't it. Why don't you tell me, you know you want to."

Ella shook her head trying to avoid his gaze; she couldn't see a way out of this one. Lucifer was very determined once he was on a mission. "I hear voices of people once they pass," she said without looking at him. "It's why I like working at crime scenes, I feel like I can give them a bit of peace. What, you think I'm crazy don't you?"

Lucifer looked at Ella. "Believe it or not Ms. Lopez I have heard of stranger things." Somewhat satisfied that Ella was telling him the truth, or at least what she believed to be the truth, she could be deranged for all he knew, he began driving once again. Even if the scientist was a bit loony, she seemed harmless enough. Though, she was one of the stranger people he had met come to think of it. She was overly affectionate with people she had just met, her actions were unpredictable, and her behavior never quite fit the occasion. Maybe he was over thinking it, as he had met some strange individuals in his time, but something about Ms. Lopez didn't quite fit. It was as if she almost didn't belong on this …..

The car came screeching to a fault for a second time, dust flying in all directions and Ella lurched forward in her seat.

"Lucifer" Ella coughed.

"No, No NO." Lucifer got out of the car and was at Ella's door in an instant, swinging it open and pulling her out. "What are you hmmmmm?"

"Lucifer I can…."

"I don't like being toyed with Ms. Lopez or whoever you are. Show yourself."

Lucifer suddenly found himself on his back, Ella's foot planted squarely on his chest. He was rarely caught this off guard.

"You had to go and ruin it didn't you? What?" Ella said scowling down on the Devil below her. "Can't a sister come visit her big brother?"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Glad people seem to be liking this one. Reviews are always welcome. I can easily see Lucifer as the big brother type so I liked the idea of Azrael making an appearance.

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"Azrael?" His sister's name fell off his lips in a hushed tone. "How is this possible?" Lucifer may not have seen his sister in a few centuries, but she certainly didn't look like the mousy scientist in front of him. But that smirk, oh he knew that smirk.

"You aren't the only one with a few tricks up your sleeve brother."

Snapping back to reality Lucifer raised his eyebrow at his young sibling. "Would you mind," he said gesturing at her offending foot. "The suit's Armani."

Rolling her eyes Azrael stepped back and her brother rose to his full height. "You haven't changed much brother."

"Well can't say the same for you sis." Lucifer gestured up and down referring to Ella's body. "Care to share?" It was unnerving watching the change in Ella's stance and tone. It was his sister all right, but in an entirely different form. It was like Mom all over again.

"I'm the Angel of Death Lucifer. I have to be on Earth some of the time. So I can appear in a more palatable form to move among the humans as I choose. Only the dead and other celestial beings can see my true self."

"And Ms. Lopez?"

"A soul that passed before her time. But it was at a convenient time for me. I needed someone to impersonate on Earth so that I could take care of a few minor issues. Ella didn't mind if I borrowed her persona for a bit so long as I helped wrap a few things up for her brothers. Make it a bit easier for them to cope when they learned she passed."

"And here I was thinking I was the one that dished out favors in this family."

Azrael smirked at her brother's attempt at humor. "It doesn't explain why you're here though Sister." Lucifer slowly stalked toward her, head cocked to one side. "Tell me, what's dear old dad up to?"

"Who said this had anything to do with father Lucifer? Honestly, you are paranoid."

Lucifer's eyes flashed as he grabbed hold of his sister. "With good reason as I recall" he spat.

Azrael threw her brother off of her with ease. "This body and face is merely a mask Lucifer, I'm not a weak human for you to intimidate."

"But I'm still the devil dear sister, and you were never as strong as me." Lucifer rounded on her again. "Tell me. What is He up to? And for Pete sake drop the mask, this is giving me flash backs to mum and I don't like it."

In an instant Ella was replaced by the sister he knew, and it took his breath away. He stumbled backward slightly. His baby sister stood before him in all her glory. Her wings were the sharpest of silver, and her jet black hair fell in waves against the wind. Out of all his siblings, Azrael had always shown the brightest. Which was ironic given that Dad had made her the Angel of Death. But then again, when did anything Dad do make sense?

Azrael moved closer to her wide eyed brother. "Is it so hard to believe I wanted to see you?"

"Then why the charade?"

"Oh, like you would have seen me brother." Azrael's eyes flashed. "Like all those times you greeted me when I came to deliver souls to your gates? You had your demon meet me instead." She spat.

Lucifer turned away. His sister spoke the truth. He was aware anytime an angle approached his gates, and could have easily met her, but in his anger and grief he had stayed away. How could he let his gentle sister, ferrier of souls, see him as he was. Lord of Hell.

Sitting on the hood of his car Lucifer snapped "well I was a little busy wasn't I, torturing all those souls you brought me. Not a lot of time for chit chat."

"Do you know how badly I wanted to see you? I begged a demon, a DEMON brother, to have you come to the gates. Mazikeen laughed at my anguish. Our brothers tormented me for trying to reach you." Lucifer couldn't look at his sister as he heard the cry in her voice. The idea that he caused her any pain bothered him. But he was the one that was wronged, not her. So he looked to the heavens as he laughed out harshly.

"Oh yes, poor Azrael." Lucifer rounded on her. "And where were you my beautiful sister as Father cast me out of our house hmmm? I didn't exactly hear you charging to my defense?"

Azrael stood in front of her brother and kneeled down to put her hands on his knees. "You rebelled against Father Lucifer, what was I going to do against Him? You were his favorite. You plunged a knife into His heart that day. He was never as furious as he was when you turned your back…"

Lucifer stood shaking at this point "I never turned my back on Him, he stabbed me in mine! I dared to question is what I did little Sister, there's a difference."

"Not in his mind, Lucifer." Azrael stood, her hair twisting in the breeze. He never remembered seeing his Sister looking so lost. "I tried so hard to reach you that day. To say goodbye before Father cast you out. I fought as hard as I could, but I was never going to make it past Amenadiel. Our brother restrained me. I begged Father for you to return. I told him you deserved another chance. I was heartbroken at your loss."

The wind picked up as the pair looked at each other. Lucifer threw up his hands. "What do you want me to say Azrael. After all this time what is this about?"

"I told you brother, I wanted to see you. I caught sight of you once, you know. When you thought I couldn't see. When Mazikeen opened the gates one time, I saw you looking out from behind a door. I saw your face."

Lucifer knew his Sister didn't mean his angel face, but his face that had been burned by the brimstone during the fall. He looked away in disgust. "I never wanted you to see that."

Azrael reached his side in an instant. "Why should I not see what happened to you Lucifer, no matter what, you are still my brother. **MY** favorite. The only one of my brothers that would fly with me, who taught me to read, to play piano."

Tears threatened to fall down the Devil's face. "You know, part of me believes Father made me Angel of Death because he knew you wouldn't see me when I came down below. Teach me a lesson for speaking out in your favor. To show me that everything he said about your pride and selfishness was true. But I knew better. I know you."

Lucifer looked up at this. Of course that's why He did it he thought. It was a way to keep one of his youngest children in line. He felt even worse for avoiding his sister all these years, having no idea that she had spoken up for him. He had seen her a few times when she came down, when he was feeling particularly nostalgic, but he made sure she didn't see him, or so he thought.

Trying to shelter himself from such feelings he decided to turn the tables. "And yet you still do his bidding." Lucifer spat.

"Do you honestly think I don't know I am but a pawn in His plan Lucifer? I don't pretend to know what is in Father's mind. But I am okay with that brother. I am okay so long as I believe there is a purpose. Even if it was to try to teach me a lesson, my job has meaning Lucifer. And I can live with it. "

"Ha."

"Not all of us needed more Samael."

The Devil stood before his sister in all his fury as he grabbed at her again. "Don't say that name!" Lucifer thundered, but Azrael didn't flinch. She merely brought her hands to his face again and said even more forcefully, "Samael."

Lucifer pushed away from her and looked out over the desert, shaking. After some time had passed he quietly spoke "do you still play?"

"What?"

"The piano, do you still play?"

"Of course I do." Azrael dared to approach him again, seeing the emotions play out like a symphony across his face. And suddenly Lucifer grabbed tight to his sister and buried his face in her shoulder, finally letting the tears fall.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Just the siblings playing catch up.

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"What is it with this family and weaponry" Lucifer laughed heartily over Azrael's story. "How long did it take Michael to find his precious sword?"

"A little over a week" Azrael smirked. The two siblings found themselves in the front seats of Lucifer's corvette reclining all the way back and looking up at the stars. Once Lucifer had pulled himself together, Azrael started regaling Lucifer with the more entertaining happenings in the Silver City since his departure in order to keep him from building his walls back up. Her brother always felt more emotion than her other siblings, making him hard to predict as his moods could swing violently. He could be as bad as a petulant child, as romantic as those trashy novels stay at home humans of the female persuasion were so attached to, and of course, the Lord of Hell himself. Tonight though, he was just Lucifer, her brother.

"He must have wet himself with the thought of having to tell Father he misplaced the thing." Lucifer looked far too happy with the thought.

"In the end he thought it was Gabriel that had taken it to mess with him."

"Why on earth would he think that, Gabriel is far to mellow to involve himself with such frivolity"

"Well I may have placed it in Gabriel's office on accident" Azrael smiled.

"Why you little imp, I may have rubbed off on you after all. At least they have you to liven things up a bit, if you ask me they all need that stick pulled out of their…"

"LUCIFER!"

Lucifer just put on a devilish smile as he put his arm around his sibling. He seemed quite pleased with himself. "And I have a bone to pick with you little lady."

"Hmmm"

"Church, honestly, you made me go to church with you! That was you wasn't it?"

Azrael doubled over in her seat from laughing so hard. "I almost forgot about that! Yes, it was me Lucifer."

"What in all of creation did I do to deserve that!" He asked incredulously.

"It was worth it to see you squirm brother! And the look on your face when you saw that portrait of Jesus. I thought you were going to faint."

"Well it's not my fault they get the whole thing so mixed up. Honestly, Jeshua with dirty blond hair and blue eyes. And the idea of any of my siblings singing out over a sheep field is just ridiculous. None of them, I mean NONE can carry a tune. Except me of course, but that would have been quite the plot twist."

"And" said Lucifer as his rant continued, "where did they come up with goat and me? I don't even like the foul beasts. Honestly, if they just had any idea." Lucifer threw his hands into the air and reclined back into the seat putting his hands behind his head.

Azrael did her best to repress a chuckle.

"What? You're telling me you don't mind being portrayed as a man dragging around a sickle for all of your days?"

"In my case the truth comes out in the end brother. You know you have Amenadiel to thank right?"

"That pompous twat, for what?"

"The goat."

"No."

"Yes."

"Nooooo. Oh he has no idea what's coming to him." Lucifer's eyes went wide with the possibility. Azrael almost felt sorry for Amenadiel, but he had it coming. He hadn't exactly made her life easy after Lucifer fell. He tried to fill the big brother role that Lucifer had done so well, but failed miserably. He was too busy with Father and keeping order after the rebellion to pay her much mind. And afterward he had no idea how to connect with his young sibling. Lucifer had far more patience with Azrael than the others and was all too happy to collude in and encourage her antics. Amenadiel and Michael had forced her to fall in line, scaring her with the prospect of following in Lucifer's path. After all, Lucifer had been Father's favorite, and look what happened to him.

She felt her brother stiffen beside her as he seemed lost in thought. "Why did you take so long to say something, were you even going to say anything, or just disappear one day Azrael?"

"I honestly don't know brother." Azrael shifted in her seat to look at the stars again. "I never meant to stay this long. When my blade disappeared I knew I had to find it. When I realized Uriel…" Lucifer tensed at the name. "Had taken the blade, I got here as fast as I could. I figured Uriel had more planned than what Father instructed and that you two would eventually cross paths, so when I came across Ella I took the opportunity to get close."

Azrael turned toward Lucifer, wanting to make sure he understood this next part. "I was never spying on you Lucifer. I was not doing Father's bidding. I was trying to find my blade. I didn't say anything because I thought you would be furious. That you wouldn't see me again, and I couldn't take that. I couldn't be turned away by you. But the moment you walked into that room, I …"

"You hugged me."

Azrael smiled softly at the memory. "To see you again, after all this time. I could barely contain myself. There you were. And you looked happy. I was content just to be by your side even if you didn't know who I was. To get to hug you one more time." Azrael's eyes glistened.

"I can see why you like it here with the detective, and LUX, Linda, and even Mazikeen. I should have known you would figure something was off eventually. Maybe I wanted you to know. I honestly don't know anymore."

Lucifer hung onto every word his sister had poured out. The feelings he was having were difficult to even process. He had pushed his family away for so long. To have his little sister here put him at peace, a feeling that he hadn't felt in a very long time. It wasn't often the Devil was at a loss for words, so he did something for the second time tonight that he rarely ever engaged in, he simply hugged her.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N Last Chapter! Thank you for the reviews!

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"So what now?" Lucifer inquired of his sister. It was pitch black and the temperature started to drop, and the Devil was no fan of the cold.

"We go back to LA, collect my sword, and it's time for me to get back to work Lucifer. Father has humored me this long; I don't want to push it." Azrael noticed her brother looking uncomfortable.

"Well yes, about that Sis, bit of a snag with the sword…" Azrael raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "I don't have it."

"What do you mean you don't have it?" If it were possible the temperature dropped even further in that moment and the wind picked up. Azrael's eyes flashed as she looked Lucifer square in the eye.

"I may have thrown it into another dimension or some such thing when I used it to have mom leave." The story came tumbling out in a wave. "Now now sis, no need to get…." It was too late. Azrael was out of the car and to the driver side door before he had time to blink and she lifted him out of his seat by his collar, her wings completely unfurled. "Overreact" Lucifer's barely managed to choke out.

"You did WHAT?" Azrael snarled.

"Seemed like a good idea at the time."

"You could have held on to it, you could have called me, but it was a good idea to THROW IT INTO ANOTHER GALAXY? The one gift Father entrusted to me?"

"Enough" Lucifer's eyes flashed himself and he twisted Azrael's hand forcing her to release him. The unmistakable crack of lighting filled the desert and lit up the sky. "Oh you too old Man!" Lucifer rolled his eyes to the heavens. "What's done is done Sis, no use crying over it now." Azrael stood a few paces back trying to control the rage running through her. Just moments ago they had been enjoying each other's company. She had wished for eons to be reunited with Lucifer, only for it to come to this. She turned from him and unfurled his wings to leave.

"Azrael don't" Lucifer blurted out before he could stop himself. This is why he hated family reunions. Pesky emotions resurfacing, family drama. But he knew he couldn't let his little sister leave. Not like this. His words had some effect, as Azrael stopped in her tracks but didn't turn around. Lucifer went over to her. Lucifer reached out and raised Azrael's eyes to his. "Look, I may have been a little hasty. I. Well I didn't quite know what to do. I had to get mom out of there and after all the havoc that thing caused it seemed like the thing to do."

"You didn't call for me brother. Do you really despise me that much?"

Lucifer felt a punch in the gut. "Oh no, no no Azrael my dear girl." He pulled his sister into a crushing hug. Azrael was initially stiff as a board as her brother pulled her close. Lucifer finally felt the tension release as she melted into the hug. "It had nothing to do with you Sister. I can be impulsive you know." He heard Azrael scoff. "And I never despised you Azrael. Some of our other siblings, maybe. But how could I ever despise you, you little imp?" Azrael smiled into her brother's Armani suit. "It's not easy for me you know, the whole FAMILY thing."

"Understatement of the millennium brother." Azrael finally spoke and looked up at Lucifer.

"Now that's better." Lucifer smiled. "Okay come on, we best be getting back."

Azrael's eyes lit up, and a mischievous grin that Lucifer knew all too well spread across her face. "No Azrael, don't you….."

Azrael grabbed hold of her brother and shot into the sky. A short time later Azrael deposited her brother onto the balcony at LUX. As soon as she released him he began smoothing out his suit. Some things really never change. "Of all the indignant things. I swore after Amenadiel it would be the last time anyone in our family would carry me off like a babe.."

"You let our brother carry you! Oh I wish I could have seen that." Azrael laughed out.

"Well yes circumstances and all" Lucifer shook his head at the memory, one he wished he could burn from his brain.

"You wanted to make it back before midnight brother." Azrael looked positively giddy at her new found knowledge.

Lucifer opened his mouth and raised a finger as if to say something but thought better of it and turned on his heels to make his way into the penthouse with Azrael following. "Well hello" he crooned. "Apparently we missed the party." Lucifer stopped cold at the sight of the detective in his bed. Azrael came up behind him.

"Don't mess this up brother."

Lucifer's head cocked to the side but never took his eyes off the detective.

"I'm glad to see you happy; this human is good for you." Azrael pecked him on the cheek and turned to leave her brother to his house guests.

"Will you be back?"

"Call for me and I will come if I can brother. We have been kept apart too long. I enjoyed this."

"No need for the theatrics next time, let's leave that to Father. Oh and what about Ms. Lopez? It won't be easy to have her just disappear. People will look for her."

"A transfer is going to come in for Ella to a new department. She will leave notes for everyone, say it's too hard for her to say goodbye. Her brother's will eventually get notice of her passing. Everything's in place."

"Hmmmm"

Lucifer turned to say goodbye properly and saw his sister paused at the piano, fingers gliding over the tops of the keys. He was reminded of a young Azrael tucked next to him, playing on a baby grand in the silver city, playing her first duet with him. It was actually the ridiculous piece he had played with the detective some time back.

"Try to stay out of trouble will you brother?"

A smile tugged at his lips. "Come now, you know I don't make promises I can't keep sister."

He was rewarded with a smile in return, and just like that, Azrael was gone.

Stepping onto his balcony and looking to the sky Lucifer tucked his hands into his pockets. "Interesting turn of events wouldn't you say Dad?" Thunder clapped across downtown LA and Lucifer smiled wide.

-End-


End file.
